Ski Resorts Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Ski Resort Employees Struggle For Housing Even After Large Investments

Timberline Mountain Ski Resort General Manager Thomas Price made a presentation Sunday before the legislative Joint Commision on Economic Development.

He said when the Perfect North Slopes company out of Indiana purchased the bankrupt Tucker County property three years ago, the infrastructure was nearly useless.

“We took three old chair lifts off the mountain and replaced them with brand new technology. One is a high speed, six person detachable chairlift, the first one in the state,” Price said. “We made a real statement that this was going to be a mountain that everybody could trust and that they should come and see. We spent almost $9 million on chairlifts, the rest was in lodge improvements, parking lot improvements, and a lot of snowmaking equipment.”

Price said, with state support, Timberline has made upwards of $20 million in capital improvements. He said the resort has an in-season workforce of 250 with a $6 million payroll output over the past three years.

He said there’s a challenge for his employees to find affordable housing anywhere near the mountain.

“It’s really tough when the cheapest house you can find is $500,00,” Price said. “We’re surrounded by so much forest service land, federal lands, that there really isn’t a whole lot of development that’s going to happen in the county.”

Price said completing the Corridor H project will encourage area growth and housing availability.

“I think it is really going to be one of the keys to making some of the towns like Elkins or even Buckhannon just a lot closer, right into our back door,” Price said. “I think that could really fix a lot of the housing issues that we currently have.”

Price said Perfect North Slopes is also interested in managing or consolidating with the neighboring Canaan Valley Resort.

“They have been struggling in the last few years to really put out a product that can compare with ours,” he said. “We think we could do a great job with that ski area and I think it could really complement what we have going on in the valley.”

Cold Snap Proves Hot For W.Va. Ski Industry

The holiday period for the state's five ski resorts runs for three weeks – the weeks before, during and after Christmas.

Right now, the Mountain State’s ski areas are in the thick of their most profitable season. Joe Stevens, executive director of the West Virginia Ski Areas Association, said the holiday period for the state’s five ski resorts runs for three weeks – the weeks before, during and after Christmas.

“For all five resorts open right now, Winterplace in Raleigh County, Snowshoe in Pocahontas County, Canaan Valley and Timberline in Tucker County and the Oglebay Resort in Ohio County, this is a critical time,” Stevens said. “About 35 percent of the yearly budget comes into the resorts and the surrounding areas during that three week period.”

Stevens said the bitter cold snap last week did not slow down the resort crowds. He said some slope operations at a couple of the resorts were suspended due to the high winds and the windchill factors. But he noted the frigid conditions were also a blessing in disguise.

“The cold temperatures allowed the snow makers at all the resorts in West Virginia to really make snow around the clock,” Stevens said. “That’s what West Virginia ski resorts are known for, snowmaking capabilities. Due to the cold snap, West Virginia is offering the most open terrain of any state in the southeast region.”

Stevens said snow and slope conditions are at their peak right now.

“Conditions right now are excellent for any skier, snowboarder or snow tuber. The bases are quite strong,” Stevens said. “All the resorts are opening up additional terrain each day. In fact, Timberline is 100 percent open now and all the resorts are at least 85 to 90 percent open.”

Stevens said for those who may not seek the thrills of skiing, snowboarding or tubing, there is a more grounded but still adventurous way to enjoy the winter mountain scenery.

“For folks that might want to try out snowshoeing, there’s a couple of areas,” Stevens said. “Blackwater Falls in Tucker County, Whitegrass Touring Center in Tucker County and Elk River Touring Center in Pocahontas County all offer snowshoeing. That would also be a fun way for the whole family to get out and see the beauty of West Virginia during this time of year.”

West Virginia ski season traditionally goes from the Thanksgiving holiday week until the end of March, sometimes into the first week of April. Stevens said upwards of 800,000 visitors come to West Virginia every year for skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing. He said those winter adventurers make an annual $250 million economic impact to the state’s coffers.

State Ski Season Set To Begin

The wait is almost over for the region’s winter sports lovers, with at least two ski resorts opening their slopes this week.

Snowshoe Mountain in Pocahontas County will officially begin the 2022/2023 Winter Season on Wednesday, Nov. 23, and expects to open at least a dozen beginner and intermediate trails to skiers and snowboarders.

Timberline Mountain in Tucker County will also hold a preview weekend, starting with a sneak peek day on Wednesday.

Other alpine areas in the state, Winterplace Ski area and Canaan Valley Resort are scheduled for early and mid-December openings, weather permitting.

Oglebay Resort will also begin operations as soon as weather permits.

According to Ski West Virginia, the state’s ski resorts account for nearly 800,000 skier visits including from surrounding states Ohio, North Carolina, Virginia and as far afield as Florida.

The ski and snowboard season traditionally extends through the end of March. The 5-month long ski season has an estimated economic impact of over $250 million and 5,000 jobs in the state.

Ski Resorts Embracing Snow Storms

West Virginia’s residents are tired of winter. The state’s ski resorts are not.

The four major ski resorts — Canaan Valley, Snowshoe Mountain, Timberline and Winterplace — picked up a half-foot or more of snow on Thursday.

West Virginia Ski Areas Association spokesman Joe Stevens says it’s a boost to late-season skiing in what’s already been a strong year.

Stevens says the timing of the storm was good for the industry. Highway crews will be able to plow interstates and other roads leading to the resorts before skiers arrive for the weekend.

He says Thursdays are considered light check-in days at the resorts. If the storm had arrived on Friday, many skiers would have had travel problems since many come from out of state.

Winterplace and Timberline Ski Areas Open Friday

Skiers and snowboarders heading to the mountains of West Virginia this weekend will find two more of the state’s major ski resorts open for the season. Winterplace and Timberline open Friday, December while Canaan Valley will open Saturday, December 20. Snowshoe Mountain has been open since November 26. Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, which offers one slope for guests, will begin the season when weather permits.

Along with the natural snow in the mountains, temperatures in the higher elevations have been cold enough this week for snow making operations. Ski Association spokesman Joe Stevens says that allows all of the resorts to provide excellent early season conditions, as the all-important holiday season looms later this month.

Resorts in the mountain state annually attract over 800,000 skier visits and numbers have been strong during the first couple weeks of the season. “It’s the time of year all of the resort operators look forward to getting open and have skiers and snowboarders head to the slopes,” says Terry Pfeiffer, President of the West Virginia Ski Areas Association and President of Winterplace. The top states providing skiers and snowboarders to West Virginia slopes are Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio and Florida.